The Peoples Democratic Party came down on the All Progressives Congress over its performance since the power handover.
In a June 6 statement by Chief Olisa Metuh, the PDP lamented that the new administration had not yet showed any seriousness and direction, Vanguard reports. Instead, the APC leadership focused on selfish interests, which situation is dangerous for the Nigerian democracy.
“The concern of well-meaning Nigerians is that this may be a pointer to the fact that the APC lacks clear-cut directions on how to govern a nation as complex as Nigeria.”
Metuh also insisted that President Muhammadu Buhari was already nervous over the promises made during the election campaign.
“The negative effect of the glaring political commotion in the APC is compounding President Buhari’s self confessed nervousness and puzzlement, his flip-flops and worrisome reneging on campaign promises for which Nigerians will continue to hold him accountable.
“Instead of fighting for positions, which betrays their lust, APC leaders should be more concerned with how to help President Buhari, who is still struggling with his ministerial list and basic appointments more than a week after his inauguration.
“They should be more concerned with how to end insurgency by the end of July as promised by President Buhari in his April 2, 2015 CNN interview.
“They should be concerned about how to pay N5,000 each to 25 million poor Nigerians beginning from the end of June; how to bring the naira to the same value with the dollar; provide allowances to the discharged, but unemployed Youth Corps members for 12 months; provide free education and meals for school children, among others, as they promised during the campaigns.
“We invite the APC to note the concern of Nigerians that the pictures emanating from their camp are not reassuring in this direction.”
The PDP also urged Buhari to apologize to Goodluck Jonathan for seeking regional cooperation to end Boko Haram insurgency, when he once criticized GEJ over a similar move.
In conclusion, Metuh warned the ruling party against preventing Nigerians from speaking their minds, as welcomed by the Constitution.
“The APC must understand that the hallmark of democracy is freedom of expression and opinion, particularly on governance issues; inalienable rights of all citizens guaranteed by the constitution and which must not be denied them under any guise, whatsoever.
“Though we had decided to give President Muhammadu Buhari and the ruling party sometime to settle down, indicators show that the APC is not getting its bearing right and the PDP as a party that has nurtured and sustained democracy in the last 16 years, we cannot fold our hands and watch our nation drift towards dangerous undemocratic paths.”
It should be noted that the week following Buhari’s inauguration was marked by a series of attacks. Amid race for power in the National Assembly, the country was hit several times by suspected Boko Haram insurgents. Some criticized the new government over its inability to fulfill the campaign promises.
Meanwhile President Buhari yesterday arrived to Germany for the G7 Summit to discuss the relevant problems. The trip comes after the successful meeting with the leaders of Niger and Chad.
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